Montana Tech Student Accepted into MIT Summer Research Program

04/19/2021

baylie-phillips-2.jpgBaylie Phillips, a Metallurgical and Materials Engineering student from Montana Technological University, has been accepted into a highly selective summer research internship program. Phillips is the only student selected from Montana. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) offers the internship program through its Materials Research Laboratory and Materials Research Science & Engineering Center.

As the only student selected from Montana, Phillips will begin the program virtually due to COVID-19 restrictions. The program will take place from June 9, 2021, to August 13, 2021. The 12 undergraduate Summer Scholars from across the United States will be assigned research topics after the faculty members participating in the program have presented the potential topics. The fields of study include Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Materials Science & Engineering. The project areas vary each year; however, project areas may consist of materials for electronics, communications, and micro- photonics, advanced ceramics and magnetic materials, metals, polymers, and ceramic composites, mathematical modeling, biomaterials, electrochemical processing, energy generation and storage, or active materials.

“I am honored and grateful to have been accepted into the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Materials Research Laboratory Summer-2021 Scholars program,” explained Phillips, a Butte, Montana native. “Being accepted into this program is a once in a lifetime opportunity that will provide me with a deeper understanding and skill set for my future as a Metallurgical and Materials Engineer. I have spent an incredible amount of time and energy focusing on my education and work to get to this point – a journey that has not been taken lightly. As I finish my second year of college at Montana Technological University, I have become well-rounded in many aspects, from conducting research in psychology, tutoring high school and college students, to excelling in high difficulty engineering courses. Every course and life experience I have had throughout the last 19 years has shaped me into the person I am becoming. I want to thank every person who has supported me throughout my education and personal life. I hope to continue this amazing journey with you all by my side.”

Dr. Jerry Downey, Department Head of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at Montana Tech, added, “We are delighted that Baylie has been awarded an NSF MRSEC Summer Scholar internship at MIT. Baylie is an outstanding student and certainly has earned the high honor that the internship represents. The Materials Engineering program at MIT is widely recognized among the top in the world and the internship program is highly selective. We wish Baylie well and are confident that she will make the most of this excellent opportunity.”